NFL suspends Azeez Al-Shaair for three games for Trevor Lawrence hit, ejection

The NFL has revealed the punishment Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will face following his ejection against the Jacksonville Jaguars for an illegal hit to Trevor Lawrence’s head and neck area.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’ll be a three-game suspension for the linebacker: “NFL is suspending Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair three games for the hit he delivered Sunday to Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence,” he posted on X.

The discipline stems from a play where Al-Shaair launched himself at the Jaguars signal-caller as Lawrence was sliding during this past Sunday’s AFC South clash. What transpired was a violent, car-crash-like hit from the Texans linebacker, where his elbow caught the quarterback flush in the helmet. He was visibly shaken up, and left the game immediately without returning.

Lawrence’s teammates stepped in, and a brawl ensued due to Al-Shaair’s hit, before the linebacker was ejected. In his statement on Monday, Al-Shaair apologized specifically to the quarterback, and credited the Jaguars for standing up for what they perceived to be a dirty, late hit.

However, he also tried to justify his actions, calling out the media for framing him as a “villain” in their reporting on the incident. Check it out below.

“I’ve always played the game as hard as I could. Never with the intent to harm anyone and anybody that knows me knows that,” Al-Shaair wrote, via X. “My goal is to hit you as hard as I can then I pray you’re still able to get up and play the next play. And when the game is over go home to your family unharmed because it’s not personal it’s just competition! We both are trying to do the same thing which is provide for our families! I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye.

“To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening. Before the game we spoke and I told you how it was great to see you back out on the field and wished you well. I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them, especially one that’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’ To the rest of his teammates I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that. 

“To the rest of the people who I’ve been called every single name in the book, from reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people, you don’t know my heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you. God knows my intentions and anyone who has ever been a teammate or friend of mine knows my heart.”

Regardless of Azeez Al-Shaair’s thoughts on the play, it’s evident the NFL has decided to punish the Houston Texans linebacker. Moving forward, there will be no love between him and the Jacksonville Jaguars, as if there was any before.